Vondellaan Gemert

The new layout of Vondellaan and part of Boekelseweg has now been in use for over six months. During and after implementation, various stakeholders (residents) have commented on specific points. A commitment was made at the time to do an evaluation after the new Vondellaan has been in use for about six months.

The objective of the evaluation of Vondellaan is twofold. On the one hand, we want to collect data regarding intensity, speed (of traffic) and type of use to determine the effectiveness of the measures taken. This will give us concrete data for follow-up steps and upcoming projects. On the other hand, we want to determine the satisfaction of the residents and find out whether, according to the residents, there are any action/improvement points that can contribute to an improvement of the living environment.

The evaluation contains three different components:

1. Measuring actual data such as speeds and intensities of traffic.
2. A tour and survey of the project area by some project team members.
3. A survey of direct residents about their experiences with the new situation.

These three components have now been implemented. The measurement results, responses and findings have been incorporated into a report. You can view the full report .

Several issues emerged from the evaluation. Some issues we can adjust in the short term, while others are important for future projects at other places in Gemert. The reconstruction of Vondellaan is one piece of a larger puzzle. While an important piece of the puzzle, it is at the same time only a small part of the solution to moving traffic via the ring roads and thus making Gemert more traffic-safe.

As a result of the evaluation, a number of further adjustments are desired. These have been identified in the report. We will implement the adjustments by December 1, 2024.

We expect these measures to help improve traffic safety and enhance residential enjoyment.

Last year, we reconstructed all of Vondellaan and part of Boekelseweg. On December 20, 2023, the renovated road was festively opened. Now that the new layout has been in use for about six months, it is time to evaluate. You can read more about that below.

Evaluation

Both during and after the reconstruction, we received a number of comments on various issues. To make a clear picture of these, a number of issues are reviewed:

• Measuring actual data such as speeds and intensities.
• A tour and survey of the project area by some project team members.
• A survey of immediate residents about their experiences with the new situation.

From the data collected, we can eventually find out if any bottlenecks are experienced. Should these exist, we will see if we can fix them. Bottlenecks that can be reasonably resolved will be addressed.

Report

Measurement of actual data has now begun. Counting hoses have been placed across the roadway to collect information for two weeks. The tour of the project area is scheduled and the survey can be completed by residents until July 10. Then we will work with the data so that, we expect, we can share a report of it by the end of September. The report will, of course, be posted on this web page.

On Dec. 20, the renovated facility opened in celebration!

The new layout is also beginning to take shape in the next section. Between the Jumbo Supermarket and the gas station "Luk-oil" people are working hard to meet the schedule. Currently, a new piece of roadway is completed every day. When the contractor is working on the sewerage there seems to be little progress in the work but even then a lot is happening for the paver to start.

The road section between Pastoor Attendoren Street and Louis Couperus Street is almost finished. In a few weeks we will be able to reopen this section to traffic. We are currently working in two directions and will continue to do so until the end of the work. That way we can reopen the entire route to traffic before Christmas. Working in two directions means that we are working near the Jumbo, near the bus stop but also in the vicinity of the gas station and the Doonheide.

In the final part of the work, we have to close the intersection of Vondellaan with Pastor Poellplein. We will do this only when the intersection with Louis Couperusstraat is ready and not before it is really necessary. Also in this phase we try to limit and spread nuisance as much as possible.

The culvert in Molenbroekse Loop has been replaced

What many users do not notice is that the stream "Molenbroekse Loop" flows under Vondellaan. The water flows into a tunnel called a "culvert". The reconstruction of the road was of course the moment to replace this culvert as well. This was done at the beginning of July. In a few days the old worn out culvert was removed and a new one was placed. In this tunnel a fauna passage was immediately made to offer our animals along the Molenbroekse Loop a safe crossing of the Vondellaan.

Not only has a fauna passage come here, in the section between Willem de Haasstraat and Pastoor Attendorenstraat there will soon be 2 fauna passages as well.

The 1st phase of the work is finished! Of course there are still some things to be done to complete it completely, but the road is open to traffic. Between the Kruiseind / Haageijk traffic circle and the Jumbo, traffic can use the new road and the new intersection with Willem de Haasstraat. The first reactions from the area are very positive!

Some caution is still required of road users. Work is still being done along the road, there is still sand on the road and everyone has to get used to the new situation. With the arrival of the new layout, the road has also become a 30-km/h zone and all intersections are equivalent.

Two sewer crews are currently working hard on the next phase of the project. Work is now underway in the section around the (former) traffic circle near Pastoor Attendorenstraat. The Vondellaan is closed between the Past. Santfoortstraat and the Jumbo (the supermarket is accessible from the center side) but also part of the Pastoor Attendorenstraat is closed. Part of the new paving should be in place here before the summer vacations.

The work is in full swing. The first result is well visible as can be seen in the photo! Part of the new roadway with bicycle lanes has been installed, the verges are being finished and the sidewalk has already been renewed in the section from the Kruiseind to the Jacob Catsstraat.

Although the work is up to speed, we experienced some start-up problems in the beginning. We are working hard to meet schedules. For the first phase, this means a schedule adjustment. Consequently, the breaking up in the next phase will also start later. The breaking of the traffic circle Pastoor Attendorenstraat will start in the 2nd week of June.

For the accessibility of the Jumbo supermarket, among others, the new lane will be opened at that time. Traffic is possible from the traffic circle Kruiseind/Komweg/Haageijk to the Jumbo. The connection with Willem de Haasstraat will not be ready at that time and will remain closed for another two weeks. The signs and signage will be adjusted accordingly.

Contractor Selten started work on March 1. Meanwhile, we can already report that the first milestone has been reached. The largest, heaviest and most important pipe link icon has been placed. At the intersection of Willem de Haasstraat with Vondellaan (formerly traffic circle), the 12-ton concrete sewer manhole was placed on Monday, March 27. The placement of this manhole is another important step in the renewal of the sewer system in Gemert-north.

The work is going well, except for a minor setback here and there. There is now insight into the phasing and planning of the work. Due to the drainage of the groundwater (in order to work dry), it is not possible to work consecutively from left to right. The area between the music school "D'n Dörpel" and the Pastoor Attendorenstraat (immediate vicinity of supermarket Jumbo) will only be tackled after the summer vacations. When the current phase is finished, work will start at the Pastoor Attendorenstraat traffic circle and continue northward until the "Lukoil" gas station.

The global planning external icon.

Nuisance

As a result of the work and road closures, inconvenience is being experienced in the area. Previously, between 8,000 and 10,000 motor vehicles per 24-hour period drove on Vondellaan. The vast majority of these vehicles allow themselves to be directed in the right direction, following the detour and avoiding the area around the works. However, a small group of traffic enters the neighborhood in search of shortcuts. Some of them get irritated and drive faster in places where this is not allowed. We keep an eye on this, we discuss it regularly with the enforcers, but unfortunately there is little we can do about it. It is a temporary situation and we ask for everyone's understanding.

Shovel in the ground

Contractor Selten from Uden will start work in the Vondellaan. On Wednesday, March 1, the first phase of the Vondellaan will be closed off and the contractor will start breaking up the road. The first phase is the part between the traffic circle Kruiseind / Haageijk and the music school D'n Dörpel. In this first phase, the traffic circle Vondellaan / Willem de Haasstraat will also be broken up. After this the other road sections / phases will follow until the end of the work near the junction of Boekelseweg with Doonheide.

On this page you will always find the latest information about the schedule, progress and design drawing. You will soon read the entire schedule for the execution of the work on this web page as well.

Nuisance

As indicated above, we are performing the work in phases. By breaking up parts of the street each time, we want to keep accessibility as good as possible, provide clarity in road closures, but also create working space for the contractor.

We try to limit the inconvenience to the surrounding area as much as possible by, among other things, directing the traffic over Gemert's ring roads. Unfortunately, it is not possible to perform such work without inconvenience to the surrounding area. We ask for your understanding.

Accessibility

In the first phase, the connection of Willem de Haasstraat to Vondellaan, currently a traffic circle, will also be closed. The closure of Vondellaan will have a major impact on traffic, and in the first phase the route St. Annastraat to Komweg or Kruiseind will also be closed. Through traffic will be routed via Gemert's ring roads and traffic to the center of Gemert will also be diverted. To limit the inconvenience in certain areas of Gemert and to direct traffic in the right direction, we are taking additional measures.

Share

The connection between Boekelseweg and Kruiseind over Deel will be closed to through (car) traffic. Between the junction with Den Elding and the junction with Louis Couperusstraat the road will be closed to (freight) cars. Cyclists will of course be able to pass through. This measure is necessary to keep out cut-through traffic from Deel and the northwest corner of Gemert.

Haageijk

During the closure of the first phase, in March and April, the Haageijk will be temporarily one-way. To limit traffic through the center of Gemert and through Molenstraat, it will only be possible to drive from Molenstraat over Haageijk. Coming from the Kruiseind / Haageijk traffic circle, it will not be possible for motorized traffic to enter the Haageijk.

This means for the supply of the stores in Haageijk and Nieuwstraat that the supply route is via St. Annastraat and Rentmeestersstraat. For a single business, the route is via St. Annastraat and Molenstraat to Nieuwstraat. After the first phase is completed, the through route St. Annastraat - Willem de Haasstraat to Komweg / Kruiseind will be usable again and the one-way traffic in Haageijk will be lifted.

City council provides additional budget

On Jan. 25, the City Council provided additional budget for the implementation of the reconstruction. In recent months, the design has been developed into technical drawings. The sewer plan has been made in detail and a statement of work has been prepared for a contractor. On this basis, it is clear what the implementation will cost. Like everyone else, the municipality is also facing increased construction costs. This along with additional improvements and modifications to the sewer system made the budget insufficient. Now that the city council has agreed to extra money for this work, the execution can (almost) start.

Planning

The tendering process is underway. We expect to award the work to a suitable civil engineering contractor during the week of February 15. In order not to further delay the schedule, the municipality has already purchased various construction materials itself. The actual start of construction is scheduled for the first week of March. The exact start date will be announced at a later date.

The work will be carried out in phases. Work will start on the city center side. In the first week the Vondellaan from the traffic circle Haageijk-Kruiseind to Jacob Catsstraat will be demolished. In the second week also the part up to the traffic circle Willem de Haasstraat (Muziekschool / D'n Dörpel) will be demolished. This phase is expected to take approximately 8 weeks, after which work will continue in the direction of the Jumbo supermarket.

Further planning will be done in consultation with the contractor.

Road closure and detour

Vondellaan will be closed to through traffic in phases. Cyclists and pedestrians will be able to pass by the works as much as possible. The road closure will be announced near the approach roads to Gemert and the detour will be on the ring roads around Gemert. Unfortunately, we cannot prevent traffic from passing through Gemert on the non-usual roads. We are currently making a plan together with the police and VVN to organize this as well as possible and to minimize the inconvenience in these streets as well.

Bus services

The bus stop "Pastoor Poellplein" (Jumbo) will be cancelled during the works and the bus stop near the cemetery, stop "Komweg" will also be temporarily cancelled. For the correct timetable , please refer to the OV informationexternal-link-icon.

For bus passengers, the bus stop on the Hill/West Om has been modified and an additional stop has been created on Handelseweg across from the Time-Out. These locations include bicycle racks, parking spaces and bus shelters. The bus company has indicated it will run the new schedule from Feb. 26 for the rest of the year. The municipality also depends on the bus company in this regard.

Information bus service

• Line 25 Helmond Station - Gemert
  Line 25 runs almost unchanged, only the stops Cortenbachstraat and Pastoor Poellplein are cancelled due to the closure of Vondellaan. Line 25 runs via Lodderdijk to the temporary Pelgrimsrust stop.
• Line 26 Helmond Station - Gemert
  Due to the closure of Vondellaan, line 26 runs via the West-om/Heuvel stop, Burg. De Bekkerlaan and final stop Lodderdijk.
• Line 123 Gemert - Boxmeer station
  Due to the closure of the Vondellaan, line 123 runs until the temporary Pelgrimsrust stop. Line 123 runs a limited number of rides due to the shortage of drivers. As usual, line 123 does not run during the vacation periods.
• Line 321 Eindhoven Central Station - Gemert
  Line 321 runs 2x hours on weekdays, temporarily until the West-om/Heuvel stop. As usual, line 321 does not ride during the vacation periods. Due to the shortage of drivers we are still running a modified timetable. As of February 26, line 321 runs 2x hours on weekdays, but only between the West-om stop and Eindhoven station CS. As soon as more drivers are available, line 321 will drive until the temporary Pelgrimsrust terminus.
• Line 322 Eindhoven Central Station - Uden
  Due to the closure of Vondellaan, line 322 will continue to Boekel and Uden via the West-om/Heuvel stop, Burg. De Bekkerlaan, Lodderdijk and the temporary Pelgrimsrust stop to Boekel and Uden. Due to the extra ride time, line 322 leaves Eindhoven earlier and arrives later. Line 321 strengthens line 322 between Eindhoven CS station and stop Gemert, West-om/Heuvel.
• Neighborhood bus 268 Deurne - Gemert - Elsendorp
  Due to the closure of the Vondellaan, line 268 continues to Elsendorp via the Lodderdijk stop and the temporary Pelgrimsrust stop.

The reconstruction of Vondellaan and Boekelseweg will start soon. This means that Vondellaan will be closed to traffic for about 1 year.

The bus stops in Vondellaan will also be inaccessible then. Therefore, the buses will drive a different route during the works. The temporary route will go via the streets Heijtsveld, President Gerartsstraat, Burgemeester de Bekkerlaan, Lodderdijk, Handelseweg, Noord-Om, Boekelseweg. The map shows the new temporary route.

New timetable

The temporary route also means a new schedule. This will go into effect Jan. 8 and will be communicated by the bus companies.

Important changes

There will be a new temporary stop at Handelseweg/North Om. The Hill/West-Om stop already exists and is being modified. These two stops are highlighted on the map.

Preliminary design ready

On July 5 and 6, the preliminary design of Vondellaan was discussed with the residents involved. The reactions were very positive but there were still some comments that need to be looked at.
The design and presentations from this evening can be viewed at the attachments at the bottom of this page.

In the coming weeks, comments and details will be reviewed and worked out. This will be followed by feedback to residents and stakeholders. This is expected to be in September.

Vondellaan to 30 km/hour

The reconstruction of Vondellaan has been the reason to discuss with the City Council a change in the design speed not only on Vondellaan but in the entire bowl of Gemert. On June 16, the city council agreed to change the speed limit from 50 km/h to 30 km/h on all roads within the bowl of Gemert. When that will take effect specifically for which street depends on the planning for the major maintenance or redesign of that street. For the Vondellaan this means that immediately after the redesign a maximum speed of 30 km/h is allowed.

On May 23 and 24, the Sketch Design was presented to the residents and stakeholders of Vondellaan. During these two well-attended evenings, comments were made, suggestions for improvements were made, the good and less good things were named and choices made were explained.

The next few weeks will be spent working on the details of the Sketch Design. Among other things, consideration will be given to whether and how the comments and suggestions can be incorporated into the design. At the end of June the Preliminary Design will be presented during a residents' evening. Stakeholders will receive an invitation.

Outcome of traffic study

In order to make the right choices in the design for a future-proof Vondellaan, it is important to have clarity on the speed limit. It was previously stated that Vondellaan should remain 50 km/hour. However, it was clear from the residents' evenings that the desire is for Vondellaan to become a 30 km/hour street. In order to obtain more clarity about the speed, we had a traffic study conducted by (traffic engineering) consultancy Accent Adviseurs in recent months.

Various traffic models were run through to determine, based on current (and future) traffic loads, which options are appropriate for a future-proof Vondellaan. The calculations of the various variants show that it is possible to go to a 30 km/h street. This reduction can also lead to a reduction of traffic intensities (number of vehicles per hour or 24 hours) and a reduction of the average speed, without creating bottlenecks on other roads in Gemert.

Bus stops Pastoor Poellplein

Several scheduled buses from different bus companies stop at Pastoor Poellplein. In consultation with these bus companies, it has been decided to have all bus lines run a modified route in 2023. To make this possible, temporary bus stops will be made at other places in Gemert in consultation with the bus companies. By organizing it this way for all of 2023, clarity will be created for the users of the bus lines and the bus companies.

Sharing sketch designs with residents

In mid-May 2022, we will again invite adjacent residents and stakeholders to an information meeting. During these meeting(s), the detailed sketch designs will be presented and those present will have the opportunity to respond and contribute ideas.

If you have any additional comments or would like more information about the project, please contact the project leader, Stefan van den Hoogen, at e-mail address gemeente@gemert-bakel.nl.